


time to let go (partner)

by sarcastic_fina



Category: From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
Genre: F/M, Ficlet Collection, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-21
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-01 07:16:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8614684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcastic_fina/pseuds/sarcastic_fina
Summary: A collection of prompt fills for Seth/Kate[1] "Is that how it is?"[2] "I love you."[3] "I've got you."[4] "You weren't my first kiss."[5] "This isn't how it's supposed to be."[6] things you said over the phone[7] "Just stay with me."





	1. "Is that how it is?"

Seth has her balanced on top of a motel dresser that’s leaning just a little too far to the left, her legs hitched up around his waist, his hand balanced on one knee, the other cupped behind her neck, beneath soft hair. Their mouths are open, but together, his top lip cradled between both of hers. He’s panting a little; relief and anticipation flooding him. 

He drops his forehead to hers, breaths out in a voice that’s a little too wrecked, “How’s that for a first kiss?”

Kate’s mouth curls up in a grin. “Not bad.”

“Not _bad_?” His brows hike. “That’s all I get?”

“You took your time.” She shrugs, and wraps her free hand around his shoulder, fingers absently stroking along tattooed flames. “I have to weigh the pay off against the four _year_ build-up… It’s a lot to live up to.”

“And _that_ –” He motions between them. “–didn’t stack up? Is that what I’m hearin’ here?”

She rolls her eyes. “I didn’t say that.”

“It was _implied_.” He leans back, catches the way she purses her lips to hide a smile, and squints at her. “You’re teasing me.”

She grins then. “Every chance I get.”

“Yeah?” He smothers a smile of his own. “Is that how it is?” 

She pulls on his shoulder and tips her mouth up. “That’s how it is.” 

“All right.” He leans in, hovers just over her mouth. “You asked for it, Princess, remember that.” 

She laughs as he picks her up, swings her around, and drops her down on the bed, pillowed atop a pile of cash. He doesn’t mind the teasing, he decides, crawling in between her legs to lay atop her. Not if she keeps letting him kiss her. 


	2. "I love you."

She says it first. She says it a _lot_. And he wants to say it, he does, he just can’t get the words out. They tangle up on his tongue, rooted to him. Like if he says them out loud, that’s it. The bubble’s gonna pop, reality’s gonna come crashing down, and everything’s gonna go sideways. If his life is anything to go by, it could happen. 

So, he doesn’t say it. Not in so many words. He says it in other ways. 

He gives her the last slice of pizza and he picks up the beer she likes and he let’s her shower first, even though she uses up all the hot water. He shows her how to hold a gun proper, how to shoot straight, and he tells her his best lines to use in a robbery. He doesn’t complain when she puts her feet up on the dash and paints her toe nails a bright, bubblegum pink, or when she turns the radio from classic rock to some poppy junk that makes his ears bleed. All right, that’s a lie. He does complain, but not as often or as loud as he _could_. And that’s some serious damn compromise, so it counts. 

The thing is, he’s not sure _she_ knows that’s what he’s (not) saying. Because she just keeps saying it, putting into words what he can’t get out past clenched teeth. It comes so easy to her. Too damn easy. And it makes him feel like a real bastard for not being able to say it, too. ‘Cause Kate… Well, Kate’s _Kate_. 

She deserves a lot better than what he’s got to give, and yet, here she is. Every day. Every night. Sitting shotgun in his car. Standing between him and Richie on every job. She’s got her own gun and her own role in all of this. And she’s carved out her place in his life, dug through all the blood and bullshit, and made it clear she wants to stay. But some days, he looks at her and he wonders what the hell this beautiful, good, _kind_ woman is doing with him. He doesn’t want to ask ‘cause maybe if she really thinks about it, she won’t have an answer either. 

But he tries. In the only way he knows how. He protects her and he gives her things and he holds on tight to whatever she’ll give him. He wakes up in the morning, relieved to find her still there, curled up next to him in a motel bed with clean sheets, ‘cause she bought some for them a few towns back and now she just tosses whatever the staff puts on the bed and replaces it with theirs. And it’s not a _home_ , not exactly, but it’s pretty damn close.

It’s early, way too damn early, when he wakes up to find the bed empty. And he startles. Pushes off the bed, rubbing the heel of his palm against his eye, and crosses to the bathroom. She’s not there. His heart squeezes in his chest as he drags on a pair of jeans, leaves them unbuttoned, and walks outside. He’s just about to knock on Richie’s door, ask if he’s seen her, when he spots her. She’s in the pool, arms and legs spread out like a starfish, just floating. 

He sighs, relief making his heart float in his chest, and walks down to meet her. Standing on the edge of the pool, hands on his hips, he shakes his head. “You tryin’ to give me a heart attack?” 

She smiles, turns her head to see him. “What are you doing up?” 

“Woke up, couldn’t find you…” He shrugs. 

“Worried?”

“Was I worried?” His brows hike. “Yeah, I was worried. You have any idea what time it is?” 

“Late… Early…” She waves her arms through the water. “Come here.” 

“You crazy? No.” 

Her smile widens. “The water’s nice.” 

He shakes his head. Only, seconds later, he’s shoving his jeans off and stepping into the pool. It’s deep enough that he goes under, briefly, and then he’s swimming toward her, treading water when he reaches her side. “You just wanted a swim? Room get too hot or what?” 

“I was in the pool when everything changed… Looked up and saw Richie just… standing there.” 

His gaze falls, settles on her stomach, where the water laps at her bare skin. “Was fucked up, what we did…” 

“Yeah.” She stares up at the sky. “Fate’s a weird thing. I used to think God had a plan for me. For all of us.” 

“Don’t think _culebras_ were part of God’s plan, sweetheart.” 

“Maybe not… But you are.” 

His brow furrows. “That right?” 

“Mm-hmm.” 

“How do you figure?” 

She dips her legs down and gets herself upright, so she’s facing him, their legs bumping under the water. Her hands settle on his shoulders then and she stares into his eyes. “I love you. It didn’t happen like it usually does. It’s not a story I’ll probably ever be able to tell people. But it happened. And if it didn’t, I wouldn’t be here.” 

“Maybe that’s not such a bad thing, huh?” 

“Why?” Her fingers stroke up his neck. “Because sweet little Kate is a bank robber now?” 

He licks his lips and blows out a heavy sigh. “Because sweet little Kate deserves better.” 

“Hmm.” She leans in and wraps her arms around his neck, fingers sliding through wet hair. “I think I get to decide that.” 

“Yeah? God doesn’t get a say?” 

“He put you in my path, Seth Gecko… He already did his part.” 

He reaches for her then, hands sliding over her shoulders and drawing her closer, until they’re chest to chest. Water laps at his neck and up to his chin. “Well, thank God then, huh?”

It’s not ‘I love you,’ but it’s getting closer.

She smiles and looks up at him, stars in her eyes. “Thank God.” 


	3. "I've got you."

Seth wakes up in a cold sweat, panting, hands scrambling for a gun or a stake or _something_. What he finds instead is cool hands on his face and a warm body pressed to his side. His eyes are a little fuzzy, with sleep and the sudden pump of adrenaline rushing through him. But he blinks it back and squints up at her. Sleep-mussed hair, heavy-lidded eyes, and ruddy cheeks from an over-warm motel room greet him.

Her lips are moving, but it takes him a few seconds to really catch what she’s saying, “…you hear me?”

He nods, a jerk of his head.

“Good. Everything’s fine, all right? You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

He looks around their otherwise empty room, a little dazed. The sign outside blinks a too-bright red, even through the curtains, filling their room with its glow off and on. Their things are on the floor, dufflebags overflowing with clothes, shoes haphazardly piled against the wall, a few guns on a table. Everything is just as it was when he fell asleep. His gaze moves back to her, dressed in one of his shirts and not much else. Seth feels his body slowly uncoil. Every muscle gradually goes from painfully tight to loose and relaxed. He’s up on his elbows still, sheet pooled in his lap, and he licks his chapped lips.

She’s staring at him searchingly. “Bad dream?”

He swallows, his throat dry and burning. “Yeah. Think so.” He frowns, shakes his head a little. “You’re okay?”

“Me? I was sleeping like a baby.” She strokes her fingers over his hair, thumb rubbing tiny circles on his temple. “You wanna talk about it?”

His gaze falls, focuses on a cross hanging crooked at her throat. The word ‘no’ is there at the end of his tongue. He’s good at pushing this shit down, shoving it in a little box in his head and never touching it again. But he knows her. Kate isn’t one for letting things go and she’ll keep poking and prodding until she gets something more out of him. And even though he doesn’t like it in the moment, he knows it helps in the long-run.

Still, he mutters, “I don’t know. It’s nothing. ‘s stupid.”

She unfolds her legs out from under her and pushes over so she’s sitting with her back against the headboard. Then she pats the space next to her invitingly.

Seth sighs, but he shuffles up the bed to sit next to her, shoulder to shoulder. “What do you want me to say?”

Kate reaches for his hand, draws it into her lap and spends some time just tracing his fingers. With a small shrug, she says, “What do you remember?”

He stares ahead, at the end of the bed, where his legs reach a good bit farther down than hers. He doesn’t answer for a while, just stares at the poke of her feet sticking up under the sheet. She painted her toes a bright blue the other day. He couldn’t get that image out of his head all day. Him cleaning out a gun while she was painting her nails. It was a strange kind of domestic he sometimes couldn’t believe he’d settled into.

She’s still tracing her fingers around his knuckles when he clears his throat and tells her, “Blood. I, uh… I remember a lot of blood.”

She hums. Doesn’t ask a question or push him for more, just hums. And he thinks about it, lets the dream come back to him in fractured pieces. All that blood and death and chaos. Before he knows it, it’s all pouring out. Every detail. He’s like a leaky faucet that won’t shut off. But it feels good. To get it out of his head and off his chest. He just talks and talks, and she listens. And when he’s done, he’s exhausted again.

He glances over at her, ticks an eyebrow, and wonders, “You still awake?”

“Sure.” She leans into him. “Feel better?”

He shrugs, but he does. He turns his head and drops his chin atop her head. “Was all right, I guess… Talking about it…”

She smiles. “Well, you know where I am if you want to again.”

He turns his hand over, palm to palm with hers, and folds their fingers together. “Yeah, same goes for you.”

She squeezes his hand. “ _Partners_.”

He hums.

They sit there a while, just sort of content, until he can feel his eyes drooping. And then he maneuvers them down into the bed. She lays on her side and he spoons up behind her, chest to her back, his arm wrapped tight around her. He presses a kiss to the curve of her neck and feels the chain of her necklace under his mouth.

“Hey?”

She shifts a little. “Yeah?”

“I got you, too.”

She smiles and covers his hand with her own, knotting them together. “I know.”


	4. "You weren't my first kiss."

“You weren’t my first kiss,” Kate reminds him. “That was Kyle. And if you want to get _technical_ , I kissed Richie before I kissed you.”

She has her feet in his lap, her back against the passenger side door, and oversized Jackie-O sunglasses covering her eyes as they sit on the side of the road, waiting for Richie to show.

Seth squeezes her ankle, flicks a finger at a charm on the anklet she’s wearing, and frowns at her. “We don’t talk about that. I’ve scrubbed it from my mind, and you should, too.”

She grins. “I don’t know. It wasn’t the _worst_.”

He groans and slumps down his seat a little. “You want me to shoot my brother? Is that what this is? Wouldn’t be the first time…”

“That you shot him over a girl?”

“That I shot him _period_.” He shrugs. “He’s deserved it.”

“Well, not this time. Besides, we both know _why_ I kissed him.”

His mouth hitches up faintly. “Yeah, you had a bad streak in you even back then.”

“Bad? Or smart?”

“ _Both_.” He shrugs. “Think I might be offended you didn’t try it out on me first, though. What makes you think I wouldn’t be swayed, huh? Pretty girl kisses me for a pair of keys. I’ve been kissed for less.”

“I’m sure.” She rolls her eyes. “You were already onto me. You had a plan and you were going to stick to it.”

He grins then. “I still got a plan.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

He slides his hand up her leg, teases his fingers along the back of her knee. “I don’t need to be the first.”

“Just the best?”

“Nah.” He licks his lips and looks over at her, brows arched. “I wanna be the last.”

Kate’s heart skips and then squeezes. She bites her lip to hide a smile. “Think I’m gonna need to hear a step-by-step for that one, Gecko.”

“Yeah?” He tugs her knee up and out; the skirt of her dress slides down her thighs to pool at the apex of her thighs. “Think I can do better than that.”

Her smile widens. “I’m listening.”

His fingers skate down the inside of her thigh, drawing looping circles. “It’s one of those long-term hits. Gotta get everything in just the right position. Can’t take too many chances. Not on an op like this… Everybody goes home happy.”

“I like the sound of that.”  

He looks up at her, mouth hitched up on one side. “Yeah, me too, Princess.”

She opens her mouth to reply, but then a horn is honking, and Richie’s pulling his car over in front of them.

Seth starts cursing under his breath about his brother’s shit timing, but Kate grins. “Guess it’s a good thing it’s a long one, huh?”

He laughs under his breath. “Rain check, partner. We’ll pick this up later.” He sits up then, drawing his hand back, and reaches for the handle on his door.

“Hey, Seth.”

He looks back at her, brows arched in question.

“You _are_ the best, just… if you’re curious.”  

He smirks. “Glad to hear it.”

Kate rolls her eyes. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

He hops out of the car and shrugs. “Too late.”


	5. "This isn't how it's supposed to be."

“ _Go, go, go!”_

Kate’s screaming, but everything’s a little muffled for Seth. He’s propped up against her in the back seat, her hands squelching against wet fabric, blood pooling on his stomach and soaking through his pants. 

He stares at the back of Richie’s head a while; there’s blood on his neck and his cheek. He keeps turning back to look at him, his mouth moving, but no sound makes it to Seth’s ears. He squints, like he can read his lips. He’d put money down on it being something like ‘just hold on’ or ‘you’re not dying like this, you hear me?’ But then Richie’s looking back at the road, and up to the mirror, to see if they’ve got a tail. 

Kate’s hands are warm against his cheeks, and Seth tips his head back to see her better. She’s crying, streams of tears cutting down flushed pink cheeks. Her mouth is moving too, and her eyes are soft. But he knows Kate, she’s doing that ‘hey’ thing of hers, when she’s worried but trying to pretend she isn’t. She does it a lot at night, after he’s startled her awake with a nightmare and she wants to see if he’s okay, but she knows how pissy he gets when he feels vulnerable. This is different though. This sure as hell isn’t some nightmare. It hurts too fucking much for that. 

Sound rushes back in abruptly. He can hear distant sirens and the squeal of tires on pavement. 

“–okay?” 

He blinks and looks up at her. “What?” 

Kate licks her lips and shakes her head. “You’re gonna be okay. Richie knows a guy. Right, Richie?” 

“Yeah, yeah, ‘course I do. I got someone who can patch you up fast.” Richie glances back at him, that familiar furrow at his brow that tells Seth he’s lying. 

“Bullshit,” Seth grumbles. He shifts and winces as his stomach feels like fire. 

“Don’t move.” Kate presses her hand down a little harder. “You’ve already lost a lot of blood.” 

“Yeah, bet Richie’s just chomping at the bit,” he mutters.

Richie snorts. “You taste like shit, remember?” He takes a turn too fast; Seth and Kate both rocket forward and then slam back. 

“Jesus, Richie, be careful,” she scolds, her face pinched. 

“Took the Lord’s name in vain, Princess. That’s a no-no,” Seth says. 

She looks down at him and everything smooths out again, calm and soothing. “I’ll apologize later.” She rubs her fingers over his forehead. “Talk to me.” 

“’Bout what?” 

“Anything.” 

“Job was shit… Was off my game. Wasn’t paying attention. It’s my fault.” 

“It’s not.” She shakes her head, and her hair bounces at her shoulders. “It was a dumb mistake. We won’t make it again, okay? We’ll be better next time.” She blinks quickly and raises a hand to rub at her cheeks, leaving smears of blood behind.

He reaches up and grabs at her hand, brings it back down, and presses a sloppy kiss to her wrist. When he’s done, she flattens her palm to his cheek, the ends of her fingers scrubbing along the line of his jaw, nails catching on stubble. “Not sure there’s gonna be a next time.” 

“Don’t… Don’t say that.” She shakes her head. “Partners, remember? It’s you and me.” 

His vision is getting hazy and his body feels too heavy. His gut doesn’t even hurt so much anymore, which is half miracle and half warning, he guesses. He knows what it means when something like this doesn’t hurt. He’s on his way out, and it’s only a matter of time now. 

“Kate… Hey, listen to me.” 

“ _No_. Because you’re going to say goodbye, and you can’t. Do you hear me?” Her fingers dig into his face. “You _promised_.” 

“I know.” He stares  up at her through half-lidded eyes. “’m gonna break it, partner.” 

A sob cracks from her chest and she closes her eyes. "This isn’t how it’s supposed to be,” she cries. It takes her a few seconds before she lifts her head and looks ahead, to Richie. 

And he knows what she’s thinking. That a quick fix is right there, in reach. 

_No fucking way._

“Rich?”

“Yeah?” 

“You stick me up with your venom shit and I’ll kill you. You hear me?” 

There’s a pause before, “Loud and clear.” 

And then Kate’s whole body sags with grief. “Stubborn _asshole_.” 

His mouth hitches up faintly. “You know it.” 

Her fingers loosen against his face, until they’re soft and lightly brushing against his cheek. “I’m never gonna forgive you for this, Seth Gecko.” 

He stares up at her, with her cherry red hair and tear-filled green eyes, and he thinks, yeah, he’s not gonna forgive himself either. He figured when he got the girl and the credits rolled, it’d be happily ever after, not sayonara. But, thems the breaks. 

He smiles as he says, “Least I died in the arms of a beautiful woman.” 

Kate scrapes a hand over her cheek. “What happened to getting fat and rich, huh?” 

“One outta three ain’t bad.” 

Richie takes another sharp turn and then slaps a hand down against the back of the seat. “Hold on,” he says. “Don’t call time of death just yet. I got an idea.”

But Seth’s vision is going dark and sound is getting cloudy again. 

“Seth?” Kate’s hand rubs against his chest. “Seth, can you hear me?”

He hums.

“Richie’s got a plan. You just need to hold on a little while long–”


	6. things you said over the phone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What are you wearing?"

“What are you wearing?”

Kate rolls her eyes as she crosses the motel room, grabbing up the remote to turn the TV off as she goes. “I’m not answering that.” 

Seth sighs. “C’mon, Katie, it’s been a _week_.”

“It’s been three days,” she corrects, her mouth curving in a smile. 

“Feels like a damn month. Seriously though, you wearing that pink set I like?” 

Sitting on the edge of the bed, she shakes her head, and tucks a loose chunk of hair behind her ear. “Why would I wear lingerie when you’re not even around?” 

“Don’t ruin the fantasy. I like to think you’re always wearing lingerie, just in case.” 

“You _know_ I’m not. Half the time we get dressed together,” she reminds him. “And anyway, I still need to do laundry. So no, I’m not wearing the pink set.” 

He pauses for a beat. “That mean you’re not wearing anything?” 

She flops back against the bed and tucks an arm behind her head. “No, it means I dug a few things out of your side of the dresser. You left some sweat pants and a tank top here.” 

He hums. “What about under the sweatpants…?” 

She sighs, long and suffering. “I’m hanging up on you.” It’s a bluff, but he doesn’t need to know that.

“No, no, wait.” He laughs. “All right, I’ll behave…” 

“Yeah, I’ll believe that when I hear it.” 

“Uh-huh. Look, I should be back my tomorrow night, if those go smooth.” 

Kate bites her lip. “When do they ever?” 

“True,” he admits. “But so far, no hiccups. How’s Richie doing? He treating you all right?” 

“He’s on another horchata kick…” She smiles fondly. “But other than that, he’s fine.” 

“Good, good.” 

“Tomorrow night, huh?” 

“Yeah. Why, you getting lonely in that big bed, Katie?” 

“I’ll survive. I was just thinking though… I can probably get the laundry done in the morning. By the time you get in, I should have something _pink_ waiting for you.” 

She can practically _hear_ him grinning on the other end of the phone. “I like the sound of that.”


	7. "Just stay with me"

Kate startles awake, gasping for air, hair clinging to her sweat-dampened neck, heart pounding in her chest. Her mind is still stuck on the blood and death swirling around in her head. She's shaking, her entire body quivering from thee top of her head to the ends of her toes. She wants to close her eyes and take a breath, but she's scared about what she might see if she does.

"Hey."

She jerks as Seth's hand lands on her shoulder.

"It's okay," he says, his voice rough with sleep. He pulls at her until she's leaning against him, but she can't loosen up. Every muscle is coiled, and the dregs of her nightmare make a cold pit open up in her stomach.

"It's not okay," she whispers. _It'll never be okay_.

Life was supposed to get better, _easier_ , and in some ways, maybe it has. But, it's been two years now, and sometimes, when she lets her guard down, she can still feel Amaru inside her. Residual poison invading her veins, chewing at her nerves, and promising her she's never really free.

"Com'ere." Seth leans back against the pillows and bring hers with him. His hand runs through her hair, fingertips scraping over her temple and atop her ear, over and over again. It's a soothing pattern.

Kate rolls onto her side, dropping her cheek down to his chest, and stretches an arm out across his stomach. She doesn't have nightmares every night. She used to, in the beginning, back when everything was too raw for her to even consider sleep. As time went on though, things changed, and now they only pop up when she's stressed. Considering the lifestyle they lead, she can't say stress is rare.

"You wanna talk about it?" he asks.

Her lips turn up faintly. Seth isn't much of a talker. He gets awkward when things get hard or serious or emotional. He prefers action to words. But, he tries. He tries to be there and to listen and to be whatever she needs in the moment.

"No," she tells him. And it's the truth. Nothing she says now will be any different than what she's said a hundred or a thousand times before. She's said it all; cried and screamed it all. And he'd held her through every terrible minute of it.

"Okay." He rubs a hand down her arm, from her shoulder to the tips of her fingers, the rough pads of his fingers leaving a warm path in their wake. "What do you need? Name it."

Licking her dry lips, she tips her head up and meets his eyes, still a little cloudy with sleep. "Just stay with me."

He nods down at her, quick and sure. "Always."

And he doesn't know it, but that's exactly the right thing to say.

She smiles and rubs her cheek down against him. Letting out a long sigh, she slowly feels her body loosen up. Minutes pass with nothing but his heart beating steadily under her ear, lulling her into a state of comfort. Until eventually, she lets her eyes close, and trusts that if the darkness comes, he'll bring her back.


End file.
